Month: April 2025

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons demanding an explanation for the Trump Administration’s seemingly arbitrary revocation of hundreds of student visas nationwide. Today’s letter follows reporting that dozens of students in Connecticut may have had their legal status terminated via email without warning or explanation. In today’s letter, Blumenthal demanded the Trump Administration provide information about what kind of notice and due process were provided to these students.

“Connecticut has some of the top public and private institutions of higher learning in the country. International students gain access to our institutions and in return our campuses benefit in a myriad of ways including in academics, athletics, and a better understanding of and appreciation for multiculturalism here in the United States— an understanding and appreciation that fosters tolerance and acceptance rather than hate and bigotry,” wrote Blumenthal. “These seemingly arbitrary revocations and terminations made without notice or explanation seem deliberately designed to have a chilling effect on student visa holders which will impact our nation’s ability to attract and retain international talent which will result in a net loss for our students and our communities.

Highlighting the urgent need for legal protections against the cancellation of visas, Blumenthal continued, “Due process is a bulwark against tyranny and a legal protection afforded to these students by law. Accordingly, students should be given both proper notice and a forum to contest the allegations brought against them. As this Administration has already proven, mistakes can be made. Due process helps prevent mistakes and subsequent harm.”

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Noem, Secretary Rubio, and Acting Director Lyons:

            Over the past several weeks, international students at campuses across Connecticut have watched in horror as student visas are revoked without rhyme or reason or any seeming regard for due process. Knowing the extraordinary value and talent of such students, and their positive impact on our Connecticut communities and the educational experience of other students and faculty, I write today to seek clarification as to why such visas have been revoked and to demand the Administration stop such unexplained and apparently unjustified revocations.

            Connecticut has some of the top public and private institutions of higher learning in the country. These colleges and universities attract capable and bright students of varied backgrounds and interests. At the University of Connecticut (“UConn”) alone, the Storrs campus is home to 3,450 international students.^[1] At Yale University, that number is 2,841.^[2]  International students gain access to our institutions and in return our campuses benefit in a myriad of ways including in academics, athletics, and a better understanding of and appreciation for multiculturalism here in the United States— an understanding and appreciation that fosters tolerance and acceptance rather than hate and bigotry.

Just this month, we watched with joy and pride as the UConn Women’s Basketball team clinched their 12^th National Title — a team that currently, and historically, has included student athletes from abroad, including Egypt, Croatia, Canada, and Hungary.^[3] Now, at a time when the state of Connecticut and the students of UConn should be celebrating, campuses are instead mired with fear, as at least 53 student visas have been revoked at colleges and universities across the state.^[4]

This issue is not limited to UConn alone. As stated by the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, there have been 40 visa revocations across its 14 member institutions which include Yale, Albertus Magnus College, Connecticut College, Fairfield University, Goodwin University, Mitchell College, Quinnipiac University, Sacred Heart University, Trinity College, the University of Bridgeport, the University of Hartford, the University of New Haven, the University of Saint Joseph and Wesleyan University.^[5] These seemingly arbitrary revocations and terminations made without notice or explanation seem deliberately designed to have a chilling effect on student visa holders, impacting our nation’s ability to attract and retain international talent and resulting in a net loss for our students and our communities.

According to public reports, neither the institutions nor the students have been informed of reasons for their visa revocations and several institutions have discovered federal record terminations only after running their own internal checks in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (“SEVIS”) database.^[6] As public officials, you can appreciate how important it is for our law enforcement agencies to adhere to the rule of law and the principles of fairness and justice. Due process is a bulwark against tyranny and a legal protection afforded to these students by law.  Accordingly, students should be given both proper notice and a forum to contest the allegations brought against them. As this Administration has already proven, mistakes are made. Due process helps prevent mistakes and subsequent harm. 

As a result, I request the following information by Friday, April 25, 2025, to better understand the rationale and processes for such revocations and SEVIS terminations:

1. Total number of visas revoked, since January 20, 2025, for individuals at institutions of higher learning within Connecticut as of today’s date, disaggregated by:
   1. Type of Visa
   2. Nationality
   3. Provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act by which Immigration and Customs Enforcement is justifying its revocation
2. The form of notice, if any, given to such above referenced individuals and their respective institutions upon revocation of their visas; and
3. The form of due process, if any, afforded to students to address the allegations that form the basis of their visa revocations

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The CTDPA, which took effect in July 2023, grants important data rights to Connecticut residents and solidifies critical privacy obligations for covered businesses. Since our initial report, the Office of the Attorney General continues to take significant steps to prompt compliance with the CTDPA.

This voluntary report provides updates on (1) the Office’s broader privacy and data security efforts; (2) consumer complaints received under the CTDPA to date; (3) several enforcement efforts highlighted in the Office’s initial report and (4) expanded enforcement priorities. Recommendations for strengthening the CTDPA’s protections are also included in the report.

“Connecticut remains at the forefront of consumer data privacy,” Attorney General Tong states in the report. “Since the Connecticut Data Privacy Act took effect, our office has worked to educate consumers and companies alike about their rights and obligations. We remain focused on ensuring compliance with this important law going forward. Much remains to be done, including amending the CTDPA to provide stronger protections for Connecticut residents. We will continue to be transparent about our efforts to uphold and strengthen this important law.”

“As the 2025 Enforcement Report is released, it’s clear that Connecticut’s commitment to data privacy is not just about safeguarding personal information—it’s about protecting the dignity and autonomy of every resident,” said Sen. Maroney. “In an era where data is a powerful currency, our laws ensure that individuals have control over their own digital footprints.”

Since the law went into effect, the Office of the Attorney General has opened various investigations and inquiries into companies which collect, sell, and otherwise share consumer data, including:

Manufacturers of connected vehicles;

A genetic and family history company;

A web service provider which provides palm recognition services to consumers;

The provider of an anonymous peer messaging app aimed at teens; and

Connecticut retailers’ use of facial recognition technology.

By the end of 2024, the Office had issued dozens of notices of violation, as well as a number of broader information requests, under the Act.We remain focused on key aspects of the CTDPA including transparency and sensitive data processing, but have also broadened our efforts to address problematic opt-out practices and dark patterns that trick consumers. Our priorities have also expanded as new legislation related to minors’ privacy and consumer health data took effect, and as our universal opt-out provisions came online.

The report also identifies areas in which the state legislature could strengthen or clarify aspects of the CTDPA. Some of the recommendations include:

Scaling back exemptions, including eliminating entity-level exemptions;

Lowering thresholds for applicability, including fully covering processing for all sensitive data and minors’ data;

Strengthening data minimization provisions to limit the data companies can collect and maintain;

Expanding the definition of sensitive data to incorporate a comprehensive list of elements added by other states since the CTDPA’s passage;

Strengthening protections of minors’ data by prohibiting businesses from sending targeted ads so long as the company “knew or should have known” that the individual is a minor; and

Enacting a one-stop-shop deletion mechanism to allow Connecticut residents to delete their personal information held by data brokers through a single, verified request.